Charging mechanism for blasting cartridges



June 2, 1931. F. H. KNEELAND CHARGING MECHANISM FOR BLASTING CARTRIDGES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U H I Filed Aug. 15, 1929 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITED STATES FRANK H. KNEELAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 SAFETY MINING COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION CHARGING MECHANISM FOR BLASTING CARTRIDGES Application filed August 15, 1929. Serial No. 386,213.

The present invention has to do with the charging of gas filled blasting cartridges and particularly of that type of cartridge which consists of a metallic shell having an internal gas chamber with a discharge mechanism associated with one end of the shell and a valve or other charging mechanism for the introduction of the charge into the opposite end of the shell. The principal requisites of a satisfactory charging mechanism for this purpose are that the mechanism be capable of exerting a suflicient pressure between the charging nozzle and the charging orifice of the cartridge to prevent leakage of the gas during a charging operation and that the'mechanism be adapted for the rapid insertion, clamping and removal of cartridges to be charged.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and convenient manually operable charging mechanism of the character indicated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clamping device in connection with a charging mechanism of the character indicated which shall be capable of exerting a predetermined pressure upon the cartridge to be charged and of locking the cartridge in position under this predetermined pressure.

Further objects of the invention are con- :erned with the general improvement and simplification of cartridge charging mechanisms and with certain details of construction which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a complete charging mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating a cartridge in charging position in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure & is a vertical section through the upper portion of the charging mechanism taken along line H of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the upper portion of the charging mechanism on a plane at right angles to that'of Figure a and taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

ing head 1 is supported by a valve 3 and its associated conduit which in turn are rigidly supported by a f xed bracket 41-. The valve 3 controls the passage of gas to nozzle 2, from which the gas is charged into a cartridge.

Arranged directly below the charging head 1 is a relatively fixed guide and support 5 .Which may be secured to a floor or other form of support. This guide is in the form of a hollow cylinder which has vertically ar-' ranged slots 6 at diametrically opposite points in its wall. A guide follower 7 is arranged for vertical sliding movement within the cylinder 5. lhis guide follower is of hollow cylindrical. construction and on its interior is provided with heavy coil spring 8 which is adapted to support the lower end of a cartridge to be charged. The'use of this spring avoids the necessity of absolute adjustment of the means employed to move the follower 7 and a cartridge supported thereby toward the charging nozzle 2. Any inaccuracy in the adjustment of'the operating mechanism for guide follower 7, as well as any variation in cartridge length is' compensated by the spring.

The means for inoving the guide follower 7 toward the c-harginghead 1 is preferably in v the form of a self-locking toggle mechanism. This mechanism includes a'pair of parallel links 9 connected at their lower ends b means of pivot pin 10 to the guide follower The opposite ends of these links are pivoted as indicated at 11 to extremities 12 of a bifurcated operating lever 13 which in turn is connected logy lnians of pivot pin 14 to the charging ea Y The links 9 are preferably adjustable in length by meansof turn-buckles 15 in order that widely different sizes of cartridges may be accommodated by the charging mechanism.

The operation of lever 13 serves to raise or lower the guide follower 7 according to the direction in which the lever is moved. In

Figure 2 the device is shown with a cartridge clamped and locked therein in charging position. It will be noted that in this position '5' the centers of pivots 10, 11 and 14 are in substantial alignment and that the lever 13 is in abutting relation tothe cartridge and therefore cannot be moved further in a clownward direction. It has been found that the bringing of these pivot centers into substantial alignment eifects a positive locking of the clamping means, although it will be appreciated that the center of pivot 11 can be moved slightly beyond the aligned or dead center position if desired in order to render the locking action more positive. Upward movement of the lever 18 moves the pivot points 11 in a counter clockwise direction about pivot 14 as a center and thusv lowers the follower 7 and cartridge supported thereby. The extent of travel of the guide follower 7 is ust suflicient to permit the engagement and disengagement of the charging nozzle 2 and the seat surrounding the charging orifice of the cartridge. This range of movement is suiiicient to provide the necessary pressure and to take careof variations in cartridge dimensions.

Claims:

1. In a device ofthe character described, a

relatively fixed'charging head having .a nozzle extending downwardly therefrom, a relatively fixed cylindrical guide disposed beneath said head, hollow cylindrical follower disposed within said guide, a coil sp ing disposed within said follower and adapted to support a cartridge to be charged, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said charging head, a pair of links pivotally connected to said levers at points adjacent the pivotal connections of the respective levers with said head, the opposite ends of said links being pivotally connected to said follower and means for operating said levers.

2. In a device of the character described, a relatively fixed charging head having a nozzle extending downwardly therefrom, a relative fixed guide disposed beneath said head, a follower disposed within said guide and embodying yielding means for supporting a cartridge to be charged, connections eX- tending laterally from opposite sides of said follower, said guide having slots to accommodate said connections, a pair of levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said charging head, a pair of links pivotally connected to said levers at points adjacent the pivotal connections of the respective levers with'said head, the opposite ends of said links being secured to said lateral connections on said follower.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 12 day of August, 1929.

FRANK H. KNEELAND. 

